There are many opportunities to get involved to help better the City of Alexandria. Opportunities include serving on a Board, Commission or Committee, providing input on a new City project or speaking at a City Council meeting.

Historic Alexandria is a treasure trove of early structures, artifacts, and records that creates a unique way of life for its citizens and provides enjoyment for thousands of people who visit this special community every year. The City continues to add resources to its collection of local and nationally designated historic districts.

Agencies and programs that help maintain our safety and overall quality of life. These links contain information about the City of Alexandria's law enforcement agencies and public safety organizations, courts and judicial system.

The City provides a number of services to residents, including refuse collection and recycling. In addition, the City is responsible for maintaining streets, sidewalks, bridges, and other infrastructure in the City.

Did you know that ACPS is one of the most diverse school systems in the country? Our students come from more than 80 different countries, speak more than 60 languages, and represent a myriad of ethnic and cultural groups. The Alexandria Library is an educational, user-oriented service institution providing free public access to recorded knowledge and ideas.

The City provides public assistance as a safety net for individuals and families, including help with homelessness prevention, food, rent, utilities, medical coverage and prescriptions, job training and placement assistance, and much more.

If you are looking for small-town charm and big-city amenities, Alexandria is the place to find them. Alexandria has a fascinating history, and many of its historic buildings are still preserved today. The City's many historic homes, churches, businesses, and museums allow residents and visitors alike to experience the past that makes it the charming town it is today.

Alexandria is a desirable location to live, work and play. The City owns many of the premier historic sites in Alexandria and it is charged with the conservation, interpretation and promotion of these links to the past.

Alexandria is an active community that offers more than 900 acres of parks and dedicated public space, and a wide variety of neighborhood and recreation centers, pools, dog parks, farmers' markets, waterfront activities and more.

Ideally located just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., Alexandria is nationally recognized as one of the best places to live and do business on the east coast. Learn how we can help you start or relocate your business in Alexandria, and access resources for existing businesses and commuters.

Alexandria offers wide range of job opportunities and services. Work for City government or City Public Schools, find out about an internship opportunity or learn about workforce development and career training options.

Call.Click.Connect., the City’s online customer service system, allows customers to submit service requests, report problems, search for information, or find the right contact to call for various issues and topics of interest.

Alexandria offers wide range of job opportunities and services. Work for City government or City Public Schools, find out about an internship opportunity or learn about workforce development and career training options.

Alexandria is an active community that offers more than 900 acres of parks and dedicated public space, and a wide variety of neighborhood and recreation centers, pools, dog parks, farmers' markets, waterfront activities and more.

Agencies and programs that help maintain our safety and overall quality of life. These links contain information about the City of Alexandria's law enforcement agencies and public safety organizations, courts and judicial system.

The City provides a number of services to residents, including refuse collection and recycling. In addition, the City is responsible for maintaining streets, sidewalks, bridges, and other infrastructure in the City.

The City provides public assistance as a safety net for individuals and families, including help with homelessness prevention, food, rent, utilities, medical coverage and prescriptions, job training and placement assistance, and much more.

The Alexandria City Council is composed of a Mayor and six Council members who are elected at-large for three-year terms. The Mayor, who is chosen on a separate ballot, presides over meetings of the Council and serves as the ceremonial head of government.

The City of Alexandria has a strong commitment to citizen participation as evidenced by the number of citizen boards and commissions established by City Council. These bodies compose a formal system through which citizens can advise City Council on all major issues affecting the City.

There are many opportunities to get involved to help better the City of Alexandria. Opportunities include serving on a Board, Commission or Committee, providing input on a new City project or speaking at a City Council meeting.

The City government acts with integrity in an open process, and provides timely access to clear, trustworthy information, presented and employed by all parties from the beginning to the end of the process, including the reasoning that leads to and supports the policy conclusion.

Recycling at Home

The City provides recycling collection to approximately 19,000 single family homes. These customers pay for recycling collection, as well as, recycling bins through a Solid Waste User fee paid on each tax assessment bill.

What's New

Electronics Recycling - The City is proud to announce its association with Service Source, a local non-profit organization employing handicapped labor here in Alexandria. Service Source is providing recycling services for all types of electronic equipment and computers at our Public Recycling Drop Off site located at 3224 Colvin St. For more information about Service Source and this important program, please visit our Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics Recycling web page.

Sign Up for Solid Waste & Recycling eNewsWould you like to receive more information about recycling and solid waste programs? Need a quick reminder when refuse service will be delayed due to a holiday? With the City of Alexandria's Free eNews service you can receive updates about recycling and solid waste plus over 80 additional topics that interest you.

New Recycling Container System

The Resource Recovery Division now uses a variable size recycling container system for its residential recycling program. The new wheeled and lidded carts provide more capacity and make it easier for residents to transport their recycling to the curb or alley for collection. For more information about the Residential Recycling Program, please review the Frequently Asked Questions Flyer.

Please ensure that your current recycling container is accessible to the crews on your recycling collection day.

**Note:ONLY City Trash and Recycling Customers (those who pay the Solid Waste User Fee) are eligible for the City issued recycling containers. To determine if you are eligible visit: realestate.alexandriava.gov, then click on search properties and enter your address, then click on tax history. You should be able to see a Solid Waste User Fee assessed for each tax year.

Trash and recycling are collected once weekly, Monday through Thursday. Please refer to the Refuse Map to determine your collection day.

Recycling Set Out Time

Set out refuse and recycling containers no earlier than 5 p.m. the day prior to collection, and no later than 6 a.m. on collection day:

Holiday "Slide" - If a City recognized holiday is observed on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, refuse and recycling collection 'slides' to one day later that week (except for Thanksgiving when refuse and recycling crews provide a Thursday collection on schedule). Click here for the Holiday Collection Calendar.

Inclement Weather - If there is a delay for inclement weather, residents will be notified through the City Website and eNews.

Recycling Set Out Placement

All residents should be setting their recycling containers (both carts and bins) in the same location where they receive trash service.

Plastic Garbage bags - Plastic garbage bags should not be used to collect recyclables or placed in Alexandria's residential recycling program.

Plastic bags become tangled in the recycling processing machines causing damage and higher costs to recycling.

Non-clear plastic bags also obscure the bags contents making them unacceptable for collection. Such bags will be treated as trash.

Walk-Out Services

For elderly and physically-challenged residents, collection crews will remove trash and recycling from containers at the door. Residents can request this service by mailing a completed Backdoor Request Form to:

Cardboard - Clean, unwaxed cardboard may be recycled in your cart along with all other acceptable recyclables. Larger cardboard boxes should be broken down to fit inside the cart or set beside the cart for recycling collection. Please remove any styrofoam, plastic packaging or other contents!

Empty pizza boxes are acceptable

Any cardboard boxes containing trash will be collected along with the regular trash collection and not recycled.

Gable Top Cartons and Juice containers - Refrigerated Milk and Juice cartons are now recyclable in the City's residential recycling collection. Please visit Earth911.com for more information.

View the City's "Yes/No List" for information on what is recyclable in the residential recycling collection program.

The markets for recycled materials are constantly changing. As these markets change so does the recyclability of various commodities. Please review our Residential Yes/No List for changes to the currently acceptable recycled materials.

Plastic cups, trays and containers: While all plastics are potentially recyclable, the market dictates which types of plastics are currently acceptable. Plastic items that are typically non-recyclable include:

Frequently Asked Questions

Please review the Frequently Asked Questions page for the answers to many of your questions. If you can't find the answer to your question on this page, please contact the Resource Recovery Division at 703-746-4410 for more information.